Aerial vehicle and a signal line protection assembly thereof

ABSTRACT

A signal line protection assembly of an aerial vehicle includes a foot stand and a protection sleeve. The foot stand includes a foot stand sleeve and a lower cover including an antenna compartment configured to receive an antenna of the aerial vehicle. The protection sleeve is configured to receive a signal line. At least a portion of the protection sleeve is received in the foot stand sleeve. The signal line includes a data line for the antenna.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/297,193, filed on Mar. 8, 2019, which is a continuation applicationof U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/816,353, filed on Nov. 17, 2017,now U.S. Pat. No. 10,227,131, which is a continuation application ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/388,439, filed on Dec. 22, 2016, nowU.S. Pat. No. 9,896,195, which is a continuation application ofInternational Application No. PCT/CN2014/080845, filed on Jun. 26, 2014,the entire contents of all of which are incorporated herein byreference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), andmore particularly, to an aerial vehicle and a signal line protectionassembly thereof.

BACKGROUND

An unmanned aerial vehicle is supported on the ground by foot standsbefore it takes off. The flight of UAV completes after the foot standstouch the ground in landing. A plurality of signal lines are introducedsince the foot stands may be provided with various components includingpropulsion systems, electronic speed controllers, etc. In conventionaltechnologies, the signal lines are disposed along an exterior of thefoot stands, making them vulnerable to damages from externalenvironment.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides an aerial vehicle and a signal lineprotection assembly thereof to solve the problem in the existingtechnologies that a signal line is vulnerable to damages from externalenvironment.

In accordance with the present disclosure, there is provided a signalline protection assembly for an aerial vehicle. The signal lineprotection assembly includes a foot stand and a protection sleeveconfigured to receive a signal line. The foot stand includes a footstand sleeve. At least a portion of the protection sleeve is received inthe foot stand sleeve.

In some embodiments, the foot stand sleeve includes a bearing member anda receiving portion. A first side of the bearing member is configured tobear a propulsion system for driving a rotor. The receiving portion isprovided at a second side of the bearing member and configured toreceive and fix the protection sleeve.

In some embodiments, the receiving portion is a first receiving portionprovided at a first end of the second side of the bearing member. Thefoot stand sleeve further includes a second receiving portion providedat a second end of the second side of the bearing member.

In some embodiments, the protection sleeve is fixed to the receivingportion by glue provided at a position where the protection sleevecontacts the receiving portion.

In some embodiments, the protection sleeve includes a wire inletconfigured to allow the signal line to enter the protection sleeve, andthe bearing member includes a wire outlet at a position corresponding toan end of the protection sleeve and configured to allow the signal lineto be led out of the protection sleeve.

In some embodiments, the foot stand includes an electronic speedcontroller compartment disposed below the bearing member and configuredto receive an electronic speed controller of the aerial vehicle. Thereceiving portion of the foot stand sleeve is received in the electronicspeed controller compartment, such that the protection sleeve is atleast partially received in the electronic speed controller compartment.

In some embodiments, the foot stand comprises a lower cover below theelectronic speed controller compartment. One end of the lower cover isconnected with one end of the electronic speed controller compartment.The lower cover includes an antenna compartment configured to receive anantenna for receiving an external signal.

In some embodiments, the protection sleeve is configured to receive adata line and a power line for the electronic speed controller and adata line for the antenna.

In some embodiments, the foot stand further includes a shock absorberconnected between another end of the electronic speed controllercompartment and another end of the lower cover.

In some embodiments, one end of the shock absorber is inserted in afixing portion of the electronic speed controller compartment andanother end of the shock absorber is inserted in a fixing portion of thelower cover.

In some embodiments, the shock absorber includes a hydraulic dampingshock absorber.

In some embodiments, the protection sleeve includes a carbon tube.

In some embodiments, the signal line protection assembly of claim 1further includes a support member connected to the foot stand. Theprotection sleeve is completely received in the support member and thefoot stand sleeve.

In some embodiments, the foot stand and the foot stand sleeve are firstfoot stand and first foot stand sleeve, respectively. The signal lineprotection assembly further includes a second foot stand including asecond foot stand sleeve. One end of the protecting sleeve is receivedin the first foot stand sleeve and another end of the protecting sleeveis received in the second foot stand sleeve.

Also in accordance with the present disclosure, there is provided anaerial vehicle including a vehicle body, an arm extending from thevehicle body, a signal line protection assembly connected to the arm,and a signal line. The signal line protection assembly includes a footstand and a protection sleeve. The foot stand includes a foot standsleeve. At least a portion of the protection sleeve is received in thefoot stand sleeve. The signal line is received in the protection sleeve.

In some embodiments, the aerial vehicle further includes a propulsionsystem configured to drive a rotor. The foot stand sleeve includes abearing member and a receiving portion. A first side of the bearingmember is configured to bear the propulsion system. The receivingportion is provided at a second side of the bearing member andconfigured to receive and fix the protection sleeve.

In some embodiments, the receiving portion is a first receiving portionprovided at a first end of the second side of the bearing member. Thefoot stand sleeve further includes a second receiving portion providedat a second end of the second side of the bearing member.

In some embodiments, the protection sleeve is fixed to the receivingportion by glue provided at a position where the protection sleevecontacts the receiving portion.

In some embodiments, the protection sleeve includes a wire inletconfigured to allow the signal line to enter the protection sleeve. Thebearing member includes a wire outlet at a position corresponding to anend of the protection sleeve and configured to allow the signal line tobe led out of the protection sleeve.

In some embodiments, the foot stand includes an electronic speedcontroller compartment disposed below the bearing member and configuredto receive an electronic speed controller of the aerial vehicle. Thereceiving portion of the foot stand sleeve is received in the electronicspeed controller compartment, such that the protection sleeve is atleast partially received in the electronic speed controller compartment.

In some embodiments, the foot stand includes a lower cover below theelectronic speed controller compartment. One end of the lower cover isconnected with one end of the electronic speed controller compartment.The lower cover includes an antenna compartment configured to receive anantenna for receiving an external signal.

In some embodiments, the protection sleeve is configured to receive adata line and a power line for the electronic speed controller and adata line for the antenna.

In some embodiments, the foot stand further includes a shock absorberconnected between another end of the electronic speed controllercompartment and another end of the lower cover.

In some embodiments, one end of the shock absorber is inserted in afixing portion of the electronic speed controller compartment andanother end of the shock absorber is inserted in a fixing portion of thelower cover.

In some embodiments, the shock absorber includes a hydraulic dampingshock absorber.

In some embodiments, the protection sleeve includes a carbon tube.

In some embodiments, the signal line protection assembly furtherincludes a support member connected to the foot stand. The protectionsleeve is completely received in the support member and the foot standsleeve.

In some embodiments, the foot stand and the foot stand sleeve are firstfoot stand and first foot stand sleeve, respectively. The signal lineprotection assembly further includes a second foot stand including asecond foot stand sleeve. One end of the protecting sleeve is receivedin the first foot stand sleeve and another end of the protecting sleeveis received in the second foot stand sleeve.

In some embodiments, the protection sleeve is joined to the arm andextends in a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of thearm.

As compared to the existing technologies, in the present disclosure, atleast a portion of the protection sleeve is received in the foot standsleeve, and the signal line is received in the protection sleeve, suchthat the signal line is at least partially received within the footstand sleeve. The signal line is prevented from damages caused byexternal environment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a structure of an aerial vehicle inaccordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a foot stand of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a signal line protection assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a signal line protection assembly alongline E-F in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Refer to FIGS. 1-4. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a structure of an aerialvehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG.2 is an exploded view of a foot stand shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a frontview of a signal line protection assembly shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is asectional view of a signal line protection assembly along line E-F inFIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 1, an aerial vehicle 10 according to thepresent disclosure comprises a vehicle body 11, at least two arms 12extending from the vehicle body 11 and support members 13 each extendingin a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of one of thearms 12. A rotor 14, a propulsion system 15 of the rotor 14 and a footstand 16 are provided at each end of each of the support members 13.

In some embodiments, a signal line protection assembly 136 of the aerialvehicle 10 can comprise the support member 13 and the foot stand 16. Inthese embodiments, the support member 13 can also function as aprotection sleeve 131. The protection sleeve 131 can be a carbon tubefor receiving a signal line 100 therein.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, the foot stand 16 comprises a foot stand sleeve161 for bearing the rotor 14 and the propulsion system 15 that drivesthe rotor 14. A portion of the protection sleeve 131 can be received inthe foot stand sleeve 161. The protection sleeve 131 receives the signalline 100 therein to prevent the signal line 100 from being damaged byexternal environment. In some embodiments, the signal line 100 isconfigured to transmit a driving signal to the propulsion system 15.

In some embodiments, since the signal line 100 is received in theprotection sleeve 131, the signal line 100 can be effectively protected.Further, placing the signal line 100 in the protection sleeve 131 cansave space.

In the embodiments described above, the support member 13 functions asthe protection sleeve 131. In other embodiments, the protection sleeve131 can be provided as a component separate from the support member 13.In these embodiments, the protection sleeve 131 can be entirely receivedin the support member 13 and the foot stand sleeve 161.

In some embodiments, the foot stand sleeve 161 can comprise a bearingmember 162 and a receiving portion 163. A first side of the bearingmember 162 is configured to bear the rotor 14 and the propulsion system15. The receiving portion 163 is provided at a second side, e.g., theside opposite the first side, of the bearing member 162 for receivingand fixing the protection sleeve 131. In some instances, at least tworeceiving portions 163 can be provided to securely fix the protectionsleeve 131. The receiving portions 163 can be provided at two ends ofthe second side of the bearing member 162, respectively.

In some instances, glue can be provided at a position where theprotection sleeve 131 contacts the receiving portion 163 so as tofurther fix the protection sleeve 131. In some embodiments, glue canalso be provided at the second side of the bearing member 162 to furtherfix the protection sleeve 131. As compared to conventional structures inwhich screws and the like are employed, the weight of apparatus isreduced by fixing the protection sleeve 131 using the receiving portion163 and the glue.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is a quad-rotor aerial vehicle, whichcomprises two supports 13 and four foot stands 16. The four foot stands16 are respectively provided at two ends of each of the two supports 13.According to the present disclosure, each support member 13 and twocorresponding foot stands 16 constitute one signal line protectionassembly. In the present disclosure, description is made with respect tosuch one signal line protection assembly, but it should be noted thatthe description also applies to the other signal line protectionassembly. As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the two ends of the protection sleeve131 correspond to and are received in the foot stand sleeves 161 of thetwo foot stands 16, respectively. In some instances, as described above,each foot stand sleeve 161 includes two receiving portions 163 providedat two ends of the foot stand sleeve 161, respectively. Each end of theprotection sleeve 131 is inserted into the receiving portion 163 at oneend of the corresponding foot stand sleeve 161 and reaches the receivingportion 163 at the other end of the corresponding foot stand sleeve 161.

The protection sleeve 131 is provided with a wire inlet 200. The bearingmember 162 of the foot stand sleeve 161 is provided with a wire outlet300 at a position corresponding to the end of the protection sleeve 131.The signal line 100 can be routed through the protection sleeve 131 fromthe wire inlet 200 to the end of the protection sleeve 131, and furtherled out to the propulsion system 15 through the wire outlet 300.

In some embodiments, the wire inlet 200 of the protection sleeve 131 isprovided at a joint of the support member 13 and the arm 12.

In some embodiments, as shown in the figures, the foot stand 16 can beprovided with an electronic speed controller compartment 164 forreceiving an electronic speed controller 165 of the aerial vehicle 10.The electronic speed controller 165 controls a rotating speed of a motorof the propulsion system 15 by varying voltage. The bearing member 162of the foot stand sleeve 161 can be disposed on the electronic speedcontroller compartment 164, and the receiving portion 163 of the footstand sleeve 161 can be received in the electronic speed controllercompartment 164, such that the protection sleeve 131 can be received inthe electronic speed controller compartment 164 to save space.

The foot stand 16 can further comprise a lower cover 166 below theelectronic speed controller compartment 164. A first end of the lowercover 166 is connected with a first end of the electronic speedcontroller compartment 164. The lower cover 166 can be provided with anantenna compartment 167 configured to receive an antenna for receivingan external signal. The antenna compartment 167 can prevent the antennafrom damages caused by the external environment. In some embodiments,the antenna comprises an antenna for image transmission.

In some embodiments, the signal line 100 can comprise a power line and adata line for the electronic speed controller 165 and a data line for acontrol antenna. That is, the protection sleeve 131 can receive thereinthe power line and the data line for the electronic speed controller 165and the data line for the control antenna.

The foot stand 16 can further comprise a shock absorber 168. The shockabsorber 168 can be connected between a second end of the electronicspeed controller compartment 164 and a second end of the lower cover166. The shock absorber 168, the electronic speed controller compartment164, and the lower cover 166 form a triangular structure. In someinstances, the second end of the electronic speed controller compartment164 is provided with a fixing portion 1641, and the second end of thelower cover 166 is provided with another fixing portion 1661. The twoends of the shock absorber 168 are inserted in a sleeve structure of thefixing portion 1641 and a sleeve structure of the fixing portion 1661,respectively. The shock absorber 168 can be a hydraulic damping shockabsorber.

According to the present disclosure, the signal line and the antenna canbe effectively protected by being received in the protection sleeve andthe antenna compartment, respectively.

A weight of the aerial vehicle can be effectively reduced by fixing theprotection sleeve and the foot stand sleeve using glue.

While embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown anddescribed above, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill inthe art that the scope of the disclosure is not be limited thereto. Itis intended that any equivalent modifications or variations made bythose of ordinary skill in the art to the disclosure be within the scopeof the invention as defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A signal line protection assembly of an aerial vehicle comprising: a foot stand including: a foot stand sleeve; and a lower cover including an antenna compartment configured to receive an antenna of the aerial vehicle; and a protection sleeve configured to receive a signal line, at least a portion of the protection sleeve being received in the foot stand sleeve; wherein the signal line includes a data line for the antenna.
 2. The signal line protection assembly of claim 1, wherein the foot stand sleeve includes: a bearing member, a first side of the bearing member being configured to bear a propulsion system; and a receiving portion at a second side of the bearing member and configured to receive and fix the at least a portion of the protection sleeve.
 3. The signal line protection assembly of claim 2, wherein the protection sleeve is fixed to the receiving portion by glue provided at a position where the protection sleeve contacts the receiving portion.
 4. The signal line protection assembly of claim 2, wherein the foot stand is a first foot stand and the foot stand sleeve is a first foot stand sleeve; the signal line protection assembly further comprising: a second foot stand including a second foot stand sleeve; wherein two ends of the protection sleeve are received in the first foot stand sleeve and the second foot stand sleeve, respectively.
 5. The signal line protection assembly of claim 4, wherein: the bearing member is a first bearing member configured to bear a part of the propulsion system; the second foot stand sleeve includes a second bearing member; the protection sleeve includes a wire inlet; the first bearing member and the second bearing member each include a wire outlet at a position corresponding to one end of the protection sleeve; and the signal line enters the protection sleeve through the wire inlet, exists the protection sleeve from the ends of the protection sleeve, and further exists through the wire outlets to the propulsion system.
 6. The signal line protection assembly of claim 2, wherein the foot stand further includes an electronic speed controller compartment below the bearing member and configured to receive an electronic speed controller of the aerial vehicle.
 7. The signal line protection assembly of claim 6, wherein the receiving portion is received in the electronic speed controller compartment.
 8. The signal line protection assembly of claim 6, wherein the lower cover is below the electronic speed controller, and one end of the lower cover is connected with one end of the electronic speed controller compartment.
 9. The signal line protection assembly of claim 8, wherein the foot stand further includes a shock absorber connected between another end of the electronic speed controller compartment and another end of the lower cover.
 10. The signal line protection assembly of claim 6, wherein the signal line further includes a data line and a power line for the electronic speed controller.
 11. An aerial vehicle, comprising: a propulsion system; and a signal line protection assembly including: a foot stand including: a foot stand sleeve; and a lower cover including an antenna compartment configured to receive an antenna of the aerial vehicle; and a protection sleeve configured to receive a signal line, at least a portion of the protection sleeve being received in the foot stand sleeve; wherein the signal line includes a data line for the antenna.
 12. The aerial vehicle of claim 11, wherein the foot stand sleeve includes: a bearing member, a first side of the bearing member being configured to bear the propulsion system; and a receiving portion at a second side of the bearing member and configured to receive and fix the at least a portion of the protection sleeve.
 13. The aerial vehicle of claim 12, wherein the protection sleeve is fixed to the receiving portion by glue provided at a position where the protection sleeve contacts the receiving portion.
 14. The aerial vehicle of claim 12, wherein: the foot stand is a first foot stand and the foot stand sleeve is a first foot stand sleeve; the signal line protection assembly further includes a second foot stand including a second foot stand sleeve; and two ends of the protection sleeve are received in the first foot stand sleeve and the second foot stand sleeve, respectively.
 15. The aerial vehicle of claim 14, wherein: the bearing member is a first bearing member configured to bear a part of the propulsion system; the second foot stand sleeve includes a second bearing member; the protection sleeve includes a wire inlet; the first bearing member and the second bearing member each include a wire outlet at a position corresponding to one end of the protection sleeve; and the signal line enters the protection sleeve through the wire inlet, exists the protection sleeve from the ends of the protection sleeve, and further exists through the wire outlets to the propulsion system.
 16. The aerial vehicle of claim 12, wherein the foot stand further includes an electronic speed controller compartment below the bearing member and configured to receive an electronic speed controller of the aerial vehicle.
 17. The aerial vehicle of claim 16, wherein the receiving portion is received in the electronic speed controller compartment.
 18. The aerial vehicle of claim 16, wherein the lower cover is below the electronic speed controller, and one end of the lower cover is connected with one end of the electronic speed controller compartment.
 19. The aerial vehicle of claim 18, wherein the foot stand further includes a shock absorber connected between another end of the electronic speed controller compartment and another end of the lower cover.
 20. The aerial vehicle of claim 16, wherein the signal line further includes a data line and a power line for the electronic speed controller. 